Most of us never wear a uniform in defense of our great country and so we owe it to listen to those to have done so. The stories of these men and women captured within the pages of In the Shadow ofGreatness,and edited by Joshua Wells, John Ennis, Katherine Kranz, and Graham Plaster, vividly bring to mind their heroic actions, their courage, integrity and quiet competence.

In the Shadow of Greatness: On a mission

Written by the Naval Academy Class of 2002 this is a must read for all Americans – an upfront and personal account of sacrifice and duty by the Naval Academy graduates in Iraq and Afghanistan. A powerful book, it captures the bravery of a decade of war. Lessons learned here can be applied equally to the boardroom, as well as the battlefield.

In the Shadow of Greatness: Andrew Torres - on of our fallen

They were walking to their classes on 9/11 when the World Trade Center was struck and the Pentagon hit. Their training as tacticians and deckplate leaders would be tested to the ultimate. As these midshipmen graduated, they found themselves in the midst of a war, the first since Vietnam. Losing their innocence on the battlefield, they each wrote a story of their challenges in the military revealing a world that few of us really understand. The first person narratives take us from Annapolis to the skies to the far distant shores, providing visceral accounts of courage under fire, and even one or two beyond, written by mothers of the fallen reflecting on the glory of having their children give their all for our glorious country.

It’s an inspiring book. Be prepared for tissues at your eyes as you are reading. In this time of undertainity, we need to hang on to all the hope we can find.

In the Shadow of Greatness - motto

After reading the book, you’ll stand a little taller when you mingle with these remarkable citizens. Not for self, but for country. Published by the U.S Naval Institute Press, the book is available at stores, Amazon and other retail outlets as well as e book. All proceeds from the book go to support veteran communities. For more information go to www.usni.org